Between Christmas and New Year, I took a little trip down south. Down to the kingdom of Lederhosen and Weiss Bier.
During a visit to a teeny, tiny museum, the following interaction took place at the cashier desk:
Lulu: “Hi! Could I please have tickets for two adults and three children.”
The cashier looks over her glasses, shuffles some papers, looks over her glasses some more.
Cashier: “Oh… do you have a man with you?”
I am now pulling that face that they do at the end of each episode of The Bold & The Beautiful. The one where they are holding the suspense, only I am trying to figure out what the hell she is getting at.
Lulu: “Um, no… just us, and the kids.” I indicate my sister (aka KuKu … ).
Cashier: “Well, that is a shame, because I could have sold you a Family Ticket,” she is tutting and shaking her head.
LuLu: “In that case, WE are a family.” When it comes to saving a few bucks… honey, I would admit to being family with Courtney Love.
Cashier: “Oh no… a family for us means a man and a woman!!”
She has said this with a straight face. Kuku, who doesn’t have any idea that she has just had her civil rights violated in a foreign language, continues to smile and nod at the sweet little ol’ lady.
LuLu: “OK… then give me two adult and three children tickets please.” My jaw is clenched and I am breathing right up in my throat.
As we pushed the kids up the winding staircase, I translated the event to KuKu. It was a narrow, stone staircase. Her response could be heard throughout the building and down to the Alps:
“SHE SAID WHAT!!”
Weeks have passed since this incident, and I still wish I had been able to pull out a business card saying something like ‘LuLu, Expert in Discrimination Law’. Sort of like Denny Crane on Boston Legal.
Of course, I did nothing. I let it slide. I opened the door for the next same-sex couple to visit that museum, with their kids, to be placed in a box. And that makes me sad.
The weird thing… the tickets only cost 3€ and children 1€. How much cheaper could a ‘family’ ticket possibly be?
